5 Basement Remodel Mistakes To Avoid According To Home Remodeling Contractors in Lincoln, NE
Tips from a home remodeling contractor: Make your basement renovation a smooth one by steering clear of these 5 things
1. Wasted Space
Increase the value of your home with a finished basement.
Creating a blueprint of your space before construction will save you time and energy, not to mention a massive headache later. Before you hire home remodeling contractors and begin demolition, consider how you want to use your space. Perhaps your family is begging you for a game room, or maybe it’s finally time to design that home theatre you’ve wanted forever. No matter how your basement will be used, mapping out the layout will give you a greater sense of where decoration and furniture can go. Plus, having an end goal in mind will help you avoid wasting any space that might be better served as organized storage or a large utility closet.
HGTV writes that “your home’s most underused room lies at the bottom of a dark set of stairs.” They go on to suggest that you should “turn a forgotten basement into a space that raises your home’s value.”
2. Forgetting About Structures and Electrical
One of the most intimidating aspects of remodeling a basement is structure. If you own a home with an unfinished basement, it can be dreadful walking down a flight of stairs only to see exposed electrical wiring and wall beams without insulation. We totally get it! But that’s why as home remodeling contractors in Lincoln, NE, we encourage our clients to plan out their space carefully. And as unpleasant as it is to look at, a heater room has to go somewhere. Checking the overall structure and how your space will be designed around existing electrical will help minimize any costly issues that could crop up from significant changes during the remodel.
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3. Creating Tight Spaces
An open concept means better circulation in your basement.
While open concepts are not for everyone, when it comes to basements, we recommend avoiding small, confined spaces that break up the room’s primary area. The tighter the space, the smaller the basement feels. When adding additional bedrooms or bathrooms downstairs, consider tucking them behind the opposite side of a kitchenette.
Apartment Therapy agrees! They write, “having some open space makes repairs easier, and it’s also better for your systems themselves, which need fresh air and airflow to function most efficiently without additional wear and tear on your equipment.”
In addition to causing problems for your home’s equipment, you and your family will be more comfortable in a space that regulates heat and humidity with ease. Stuffy basements are stifling in the summer months! Avoid this with a fluid layout.
4. Poor Lighting
Since a large majority of basements don’t get a ton of natural light, it is crucial to add enough lighting (in the right spots) so that your space feels cozy rather than dark and boxy. Recess lighting in your ceiling is a fantastic way to create instant light. Also, if you have any custom cabinetry in your basement, installing under-cabinet lights will brighten up areas where you don’t want to have overhead lights on all the time.
Make sure you don’t fully cover up any windows you do have. Lighter or even see-through curtains offer coverage without shutting out natural light altogether.
Have more questions about lighting in your basement? Take a look at our Do’s and Dont’s for Keeping Your Basement Remodel Bright.
5. Too Many Colors
Avoid using too many colors in your basement.
Our experience as home remodeling contractors has taught us that the wrong paint color can hurt any room. Now sometimes, dark colors like charcoal and navy can make your living space inviting rather than cramped. Even brighter wall colors, if put in the wrong place, won’t offer any additional light. Worst of all, throwing out a cohesive color palette in your basement can make the area seem overpowering to the eye.
In an interview with Sherwin-Williams, color expert Donna Frasca notes that “saturated hues work best in any dark area. The cleaner the color (meaning the less black it contains) the lighter and brighter the paint color is.” For a lighter space, stick to clean color palettes!
Remember these tips when beginning a basement remodel, and you’ll be prepared for a successful renovation! Ready to get started remodeling your basement?
